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Vegetable Seeds
Rosella Cherry Tomato Seeds
"Flavors of blackberries, raspberries and red wine"Sun: Full Sun
Days to Maturity: 70 - 75 Days
Fruit Size: 1/2 - 1 Ounce
Heirloom: Yes
Summary / History
HEIRLOOM - The Rosella tomato is a modern, open-pollinated variety that was bred exclusively for flavor, offering the perfect balance of sweet and tart. It was bred in 2011 in the United Kingdom by Mark Rowland of Gourmet Genetics (Laughing Owl Nursery). He prioritized flavor over shelf life, which resulted in the Rosella tomato having a rich, complex flavor that often hinted at raspberries and blackberries rather than a simple sugary sweetness. His seed breeding company, Gourmet Genetics, was widely known for developing exceptionally flavorful, modern, open-pollinated cherry tomatoes for backyard gardeners. In 2015, the Rosella tomato was highlighted in celebrity gardener James Wong's book Grow for Flavour. In 2017, it was awarded the prestigious Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society; it won the award based on reliability, productivity, and exceptional taste. Today these superior, purple-pink cherry tomatoes have quickly become a celebrated choice among specialty growers and home gardeners.
Plant Characteristics
Rosella tomatoes are cherry tomatoes that ripen to a unique dusky-rose to deep purple-pink with a slight green tinge near the stem. The tiny, cocktail-sized tomatoes typically weigh between 1/2 - 1 ounce each and have few seeds. The flavor is intensely fruity, often tasting distinctly like blackberries, raspberries and red wine. Their fruity, complex flavor makes them great for roasting, grilling, or reducing into a rich, dark tomato paste. Their juiciness and thin skins make them ideal for fresh snacking. They grow on indeterminate, high-producing vines that produce massive, tumbling trusses of tomatoes until frost. Will require a trellis, cage, or staking as the plants grow tall, often reaching 5-7 feet. Thrives in greenhouses or warm, sheltered outdoor spots. Performs exceptionally well in cooler maritime climates. For the sweetest and best "berry-like" flavor, harvest when tomatoes are a deep burgundy-purple and slightly squishy to the touch.
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Quick Facts
- Botanical Name: Solanum Lycopersicum
- Life Cycle: Annual/Perennial
- Light Requirement: Full Sun
- Planting Season: Warm Season
- Plant Type: Indeterminate
- Features: Heirloom, Open-Pollinated
- Fruit Size: 1/2 - 1 Ounce
- Days to Maturity: 70 - 75 Days
- Plant Spacing: 24 - 36 Inches
- Planting Depth: 1/4"
- Sowing Method: Start Indoors, Direct Sow
- Cold Stratification: No
- Hardiness Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
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